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Director's Column

Entry of new investigators into the ranks of independent, NIH-funded researchers is essential to the health of this country’s biomedical research enterprise. I believe they bring fresh ideas and technologies to existing biomedical research problems, and they pioneer new areas of investigation. Over the years, NIH has created special programs to assist new investigators in obtaining independent research funding. These programs have resulted in the recruitment of more new investigators; however, new investigators are often still many years past their degree-conferral date. Recently, we have focused our attention on encouraging earlier transitions into independent research careers by developing programs that focus specifically on early stage investigators (those researchers that are within a set number of years of their terminal degree). By shifting new investigator incentives to those at earlier career stages, we hope to shorten the prolonged periods of training.

This new year, make a resolution to plan ahead and submit your NIH grant applications in advance of the deadline. With the error correction window going away as of January 25, 2011, submitting your application early is the best way to ensure success. For deadlines on or after January 25, 2011, all applications must be error-free by the deadline.

For recipients of ARRA awards, it’s time again to prepare quarterly reports for submission to FederalReporting.gov beginning January 1. Tools are available to assist recipients in completing their reports as accurately and easily as possible.

Many changes affecting application submissions are converging on the January 25, 2011 application receipt date, including the elimination of the error correction window (described in more detail below), a new policy on post-submission application materials, the new time limit for resubmission applications, and more. Find out which ones apply to your next submission.

Beginning January 1, 2011, use of the eRA Commons xTrain system will be required to electronically prepare and submit appointment forms and termination notices for NIH institutional research training grants, individual fellowships, research education, and institutional career development awards. After January 1, 2011, NIH will not accept paper appointment forms and termination notices.

In 1984, an NIH symposium “Animal Welfare and Scientific Research” presented the current state of the art of veterinary medicine, animal care, and animal models and provided a forum for animal welfare policy discussion. As a result of this symposium, new policies and laws requiring humane care for animals used in testing, research and training were adopted.Twenty-five years later, scientists, policy makers, and others met again at “Animal Welfare and Scientific Research: 1985 to 2010,” to discuss the history, current practices, and future of research animal care.

Exciting learning and networking opportunities await you at the April 2011 NIH Regional Seminar on Program Funding and Grants Administration. With an expanded program, more networking opportunities, and a greater emphasis on career development, this is one event you won’t want to miss.

New Resources

Our All About Grants podcast series continues with a new series on what you can do to prepare the best possible application. We have also received a listener request to discuss the requirements for the responsible conduct of research. Have … Continue reading →

Calendar

Date: Friday, December 24, 2010 NIH will be closed on Friday, December 24, 2010 in observance of the Christmas Day holiday. Please note that help desks will also be closed. If a standard postmark/submission date falls on a Federal holiday, … Continue reading →

Date: Friday, December 31, 2010 NIH will be closed on Friday, December 31, 2010 in observance of the New Year’s Day holiday. Please note that help desks will also be closed. If a standard postmark/submission date falls on a Federal … Continue reading →